Now it’s time to learn more about the authors we read. . .

What drew you to the genre you write?
I’ve always read a pretty wide variety of mysteries, from the Agatha Christie novels that first got me hooked to darker Scandinavian stuff (What is going on in Iceland?!). I think two things drew me to cozies: I like humor, and I’m a sucker for Masterpiece Mystery on PBS (What is going on in Oxford?!). Plus, I’ve written 16 kids’ books, and avoiding graphic language and content is basically a reflex for me at this point.

How did you come up with your pseudonym?
I don’t have one yet, but if this book fails spectacularly… say hello to Timothy J. Olyphant!

Tell us how you got into writing?
Positive reinforcement. I am dyslexic and repeated second grade. I pretty much thought I was an idiot, but in fourth grade, we had a school-wide writing competition. Everyone had to enter. I was like, if I have to do this, I am going to write a poem, because it’s a lot less words. So I wrote a poem about a knight. (I still remember a few lines: “And behind the squire rides the knight,/He’s off to the war, the scrimmage, the fight!”) One thing about dyslexia is it can make you pretty wily with words. You have to read everything so carefully, and you are always navigating your limitations. So tldr: I won. First place in Fourth Grade. I heard my name called. People clapped. For a kid who thought he was useless in school, it was incredibly powerful. I threw myself into poetry. I became a big (slow) reader. It became my thing. It was a pretty standard path from there. School literary magazines, an English major, and then, in my case, a career in journalism. That led, slowly, to me writing my own stories on the weekends, and then, eventually, to books.

What jobs have you held before, during and/or after you became a writer?
I worked at The World Almanac & Book of Facts in college. It was a big deal back then, pre-Google. I wore a tie and sneakers to class, because I worked part-time during the school year and was kind of a gopher. Then I worked at Sports Illustrated for Kids magazine for 12 years. That’s when I became a writer: first short stories, then longer stories, then my first book. I got an agent and we sold that first book to Scholastic. It was a small advance, but I quit my job anyway. Magazines in general, and Time Inc. in particular, were in free fall. Ever since then, I have supported myself with some combination of writing and freelance fact-checking.

How many books do you have published?
The Birder Murder will be my 17th, but my first for adults. (I’ve also ghostwritten six more kids’ books for professional athletes, but I can’t really talk about those!)

Where do you write?
I have a home office carved out in the corner of the living room. One of the cats usually supervises me.

What’s your favorite genre to read?
I like mysteries and thrillers, so I will cheat and say crime novels. I read nonfiction too, mostly true crime or history. I am a slow reader, so audio books have basically tripled what I can consume.

What is something people would be surprised to know about you?
I once stepped on a wasp nest (yellowjackets build nests on the ground, the little jerks) and was stung something like 75 times.

Who is an author you admire?
Lucy Foley! I love her thrillers, and I got her *official new Miss Marple mystery* (Murder at the Grand Alpine Hotel) the day it came out.

Have you any advice for aspiring or beginning writers?
Finish your projects, whether that’s a short story or a novel. It can be easy to give up when a project bogs downs or jump to the shiny new thing, but you learn so much by writing all the way to the end. And you learn even more—so much more—in the revision process. Plus, once it’s finished, you can show it to people and get more comprehensive feedback.

What is next for you?
Hopefully another Figman Files novel, but that likely depends on how this one does.

Where can we find you?
I am mostly on Bluesky these days (@michaelnorthrop.bsky.social). I’m on Instagram and Facebook to varying degrees of not-enough too—and I am at Malice Domestic every year!

NOW TO HAVE SOME FUN . . .

Breakfast, lunch, or dinner
Definitely breakfast. My lunches can be makeshift or on the go. My dinners are often late and rushed. But I have a good breakfast every day. Healthy if it’s at home, and very likely to include eggs and bacon if not!

Fruits or vegetables
Somewhere in the last several years, I transitioned from fruits to vegetables. It feels very adult to say so!

Sweet or salty snacks
Sweet. I developed an acute case of Sweet Tooth as a kid and never recovered.

Ice cream, cake, or pie
Cake—and I love a supermarket sheet cake!

Cooking, baking, or dining out
Dining out. To quote Clint Eastwood: “A man’s got to know his limitations.”

City life or country living
I grew up in the country, and I now live in New York City. I appreciate both—but I only had a say in one…

Beach or mountain
Mountain. I’m from the foothills of the Berkshire Mountains (where The Birder Murder is set), and it was a wonderful place to grow up. I still love a good mountain hike (or just a mountain view). And in a world getting hotter every year, the higher the better.

Early bird or night owl
Early bird. I get up early, wide awake and annoyingly chipper!

Winter, Spring, Summer, or Fall
Fall. I feel like, in a cozy crowd, this one needs no explanation.

Extrovert or introvert
Introvert. I can be social in spurts, but I’m like Cinderella’s coach: It’s just a matter of time before I turn back into a pumpkin.

AND EVEN MORE FUN . . .

What is your favorite movie?
Jaws! It’s brilliant. A total classic. Forget the shark; it’s the dialogue.

You are stranded on a deserted island. What are your three must-haves?
A very large notebook, a very full pen, and my glasses.

My bio:
Michael Northrop is the New York Times–bestselling author of 16 books for young readers, now starting a new chapter with his first cozy mystery for adults, The Birder Murder (Crooked Lane Books, 12/1/26). Altogether, his books have been translated into more than a dozen languages and have sold more than one million copies. He is originally from Salisbury, Connecticut, a small town in the foothills of the Berkshire Mountains, where he mastered the arts of tree climbing, BB gun shooting, and field goal kicking with only moderate injuries.